Knights Stay Focused On Game, Not Weather

College Football

October 7, 2000|By L.C. Johnson of The Sentinel Staff

DEKALB, Ill. -- UCF redshirt freshman quarterback Ryan Schneider was red-hot last week, but the challenge today will be to stay warm.

Schneider went 27-of-38 for 365 yards and two touchdowns in a 31-10 victory against Eastern Michigan last week in his first college start. The challenge for Schneider, who also had a rushing touchdown last week, and the rest of the Golden Knights today will be to find a way to handle the cold that is expected to engulf Huskie Stadium this afternoon. The kickoff forecast calls for a chance of snow with windchill temperatures in the low 20s.

"I think we can go up there and get the job done in the rain, sleet, snow or shine," UCF senior receiver Tyson Hinshaw said. "It doesn't really matter."

At the same time, Schneider must avoid the heat from the host Huskies (2-2), the third Mid-American Conference opponent the Knights (3-2) have faced this season. UCF lost 35-24 to Akron on Sept. 16 before beating Eastern Michigan.

"This is probably going to be the best defense we've faced all year," Schneider said. "They zone-blitz a lot and do a lot of things like that, so we're going to have to go through our [offensive] reads and make it happen."

The Huskies average nearly 400 yards per game, with 185 of those coming on the ground. Northern Illinois has a big-play receiver in 6-foot-4 senior flanker Justin McCareins, who leads the team with 25 catches for 497 yards and three touchdowns.

Redshirt freshman running back Corey Baker likely will get his first start for UCF. He ran for 96 yards and a touchdown last week while filling in for Eddie Mack, who has a stinger in his neck.

The opportunity to play in snow represents a first for most UCF players. Sophomore defensive end Wanzell Underwood hails from Syracuse, N.Y., and has some advice for his teammates.

"As long as it's not that type of snow where it's coming down hard and sticking on the ground, you really don't have to worry about it," Underwood said. "Other than that, if it's just a little light snow and some rain, it shouldn't really bother us."